Suction cleaner



L. K. AcHEsoN SUCTION CLEANER Feb. 17, 1948.

Filed April, 26; 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. [ouz's K. Acheson Feb. 17, 1948. K. ACHESON SUCTION CLEANER File'd April 26, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. L ouis 11'. Acheson Patented Feb. 17, 1948 STATES PATENT 1.436.159 scarier: essence -Louis --'K. -Acheson, North Canton, Ohio, I assignor to -'-l-he Hoover-:Cornpany, North iCanton, Ohio, va. corporaticnof Ohio nmsucauonnprnec, 1943, Serial No. 484,512 JClaims. (013183-57) The present inventionirrelates' to is'uctionrcleanrer's in generalfand .moreiparticularl to 5a" new-rand novel. arrangement ofrp'arts inzra sucti'on cleaner-of athe type incorporating an initial dirt-separaton suctiomcreating means, and a .Lfinal dirt sepamater; 'More :parti'cu1arly,1the invention :relates to ithe zarrangement cof structural .parts in 'a :cleaner f ithe rtype m'entioned to provide' compactness;greateristability, iowerheight-ian-d other *dsirabie'icharacteristics andrwithout sacrificeof to-leaning?eftectivenessiand mciency. I

:lt ismn obiect-iof themresentflinvention to; -pr'owide -a inewi-and '-improved-suotion icleaner. lit is :another ob'ject of 'theiinvention to:provide 'a:.new "and :novel earrangement 'tOf :parts "in asuotion cleaner -incorporatin'g an initial dirt separator, suction-creating means, and a =flna1 dirt separator. A further object of the invention ;is to provide Fa low-height canister: type clcaner of the type incorporating an initial dirt separator, a final=dirt -separator, andsuction-creating means, the emaior --axis of the unit being substantially horizontal. A-still .iurther object or the. invention is to provide a new :and 'novel arrangement of .partsrin a suction cleaner-of the typeehaving an initial-.dirt-separator, suction-oreating means and a. final .dirt separator in combination with automatiemeans for=cleaning the final-.separatonand returning -the dir-t therefrom to theinitial .separator which :15 .characterized by. the substantially horizontal arrangement-of the major axes-ofthe separators. A still further object of the inventionistoprovide asuction cleaner-incorporatin a whirl .chamberiforrne'd with a substantiallyhorizontal major aids. 'These and other-objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims land upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawingsin whicha. preferred embodiment for 'the'preserit 'inventionis 'illustrated 'a'nd 'lnwhichtthe same reference character 'referstothesameipartthrcughoutz Figure l isavertical section througha cleaner constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment df theinvention;

' Figure Zis a side=e1evat-ionofthe cleaner illustratedizinF'igurel;

T'FFlgure 3 is an end view 'of the cleaner '''with certalntparts'brokeniaway; and

:Figure 4iis'sa' partialrsectionupon :the line-4 4 of =Figure-1 and shows'the inlet connection to the initial dirt separator.

The :patent to Bible 2,247,472 discloses :a new and :novel arrangement :of zparts :for a suction I1 2 "cleaner inwhich the dirt-laden' air stream enters 2the=c1earierat :an: initial dirt separator, is drawn therefrom in a nearly =cleaned condition by the suction-creating means, and is exhausted =from those means into :a "final dirt separator which functions .130 "remove all the escaped material. Manuallyoperable "means are provided by Bible .whicl'rare adapted toremovethe "collected foreign material :from the final separator and to return itcto :the initial separator iforiremoval -in order to reduce the "back pressure in the final separator. The present invention relates to an improvement upon l the typaofmachine -disclosed inthe Bible pateht andparticularly to a.- machine of thattype inwhich themajor axis-:ofithe machine extends substantially horizontally. *In-thesuction' cleaner constructed :in "accordance with the .present invention the i major axis of the suction creating means, :the driving motor, and the initial dirt separator extend -:substantially :horizontallyand the large part of the -foreign material which is removed: in the -whirl chamber escapes therefrom in ca substantially horizontal direction -instead of droppingvfrom that chamber vertically in to aadirt container as =-in Bible. Additionally, automatic means which are driven by 'thecleaner motor are provided which remove :the foreign materi-alirom :the final dirt separator and return:it tothefiinitial separator"\irithout the assistance of the operator. Returning now to the drawings the cleaner constructed in accordance with --the 1 present invention is seen to comprise exteriorly a main casing I which-:isattached a handle 2' and wh ch is form'ect at one end-asa motor hood-3 and -atthe opposite endasatruncated cone 4 which, as will later *become apparent, is a part 'of the-initial dirt separator which may be of the vertical whirl type. These parts are seated at -:-an angle. as clearly-illustratedin Figures 1 -and -2, upon-"a -base 6 :comprising a dirt receptacle or container 1 which is 'formed with 'a removable front wall 8. Wall-8 'includes a-s'eat :portion 9 which -is adapted to seat 'removably the -conical iportion For the casing seated in the slightly-inclined position. Rigid runners 1 I extend :along' each side of the cleaner iand :provide side supports -for the main bodyxportion comprising casing I and the motor h'oddt and also for the removable 'dirt container is clea-rly illustrated in Figures 2-and 3. -A manually operable latch 12 upon each side not caslng -l includesra hook portion l3 to cooperate with* an-=abutment t4 upon the container 'htoisecure-removably :the casing structure to the base structure. -Within 'thennainwasing -iSp0S1ti0n8daI SBO- tended outwardly through the enclosing main casing and adapted to seat removably a dusting tool unit. The inlet to the fan chamber I9 is formed by an elongated inlet 24 which extends into the whirl chamber 2| to the conical portion 4 being provided at its outer end with a strainer plate 26.

Fan chamber I9 is divided into a first stage,

opening directly into inlet 24 and into a second stage by a rigid fixed deflector 21 which includes a multiplicity of vanes and an inlet 28. Fan chamber L9 in its second stage is provided with a plurality of "exhaust ports 29 which connect the fan chamber with a final dirt separator or filter chamber 3| the outer wall of which is defined by a cylindrical filter 32 of suitable air-permeable dirt-impermeable material which is positioned concentrically within the main casing One end of filter 321s supported adjacent the fan" chamber 9 'byan encircling collar or end plate.33"which is sealed to the-casing l6 being flanged upon its-inner and outerperipheries. The opposite end of the filter chamber 3| is closed by a plate 34 carried in'spaced relationship to thecasing by a plurality of spiders indicated at 36. Plate 34 is suitably shouldered to seat, the filter 32 and isalso flanged centrally to seat the casing of a motor 31 which extends therethrough. The space within the main casing and around the cylindrical filter 32 forms a discharge chamher 39 which is open around plate 34 to the apertures 4| formed in the casing of motor 31. A second -motor-supporting closure plate 42 in the hood 3 prevents the air from passing along the outside of themotor The escapingair passes through the apertures 4| into the motor casing and escapes therefrom through the apertures 43 upon the opposite side of the plate 42 and makes its final escape from the motor hood 3 through the exhaust port which is similar to inlet'port 23 in that it is adapted to receive and seat a dusting toolunit.

@I'he' shaft 46 of motor 37' extends forwardly through acasing 41, a sleeve 48, and into the'fan chamber l9 where it carries suction-creating fans and 52 within the first and second stages respectively.

I A filter-cleaning unit is provided for the filter I 32 andcoinprises a nozzle 56 which is rotatably carried'by aconduit seat 51 mounted for rotation about the sleeve 48 'on'a bearing 58. Nozzle 56 and its 'conduit seat 51 are rotated by the motor shaft 46 through the agency of certain power transmitting speed-reducing means provided within thecasing 41 and which in their specific construction form no part'of this invention but which may be of t he' type disclosed and illustrated in my co-pen ding application Serial No) 464,510, nowPatent 2,406,733, dated September- 3, 1946. Conduit seat 5'l opens into asimilarly formed seat'whichis provided in a conduit 59 immediatelyadjacent theend wall 6| of-the fan cham-' ber l9. Conduit 59 extends along the side of the fan chamber and connects to the inlet chamber 22'of'the'. whirl chamber 2| -so that at all times,

with the cleaner in operation, the conduit 59 is supplied with any suction which is present and available to the inlet port 23.

As in the usual suction cleaner the driving motor 3! is provided with a source of power com prising incoming power leads 62 which pass through a manually operable switch 63 which enables the operator to control the flow of current to the motor and so the operation of the machine.

The operation of the cleaner is as follows. The operator having attached a suitable dusting tool hose with a cleaning nozzle at its end to the inlet port 23, he energizes the motor 31 by closing the manually operable switch 63. Current passes through the driving motor and the motor shaft 46 rotates and-with it the suction-creating fans 5| and 52 and the speed-reducing mechanism within the casing 41. The rotation of the sno tion-creating fans SI and 52 creates a reduced pressure within the whirl chamber 2| which in turn is effective in.the inlet 23 and the dusting tool hose and nozzle attached thereto and also within the conduits 59 and 51 and so in the filter-cleaning nozzle 56. As the operator moves the main cleaning nozzle at the out of the hose over the surface to be. cleaned the incoming fiow of air "carries dirt and foreign material intothe cleaner where it enters the whirl chamber 2| tangentially. The foreign material is thrown by centrifugal force to the periphery of the casing l6 and as it rotates it is forced by the new incoming air into the truncated cone 4 and makes its exit from the forward end thereof into the dirt container 1 dropping to the lower'part thereof below the cone 4. The cleaned air is drawn through the inlet 24 into the fan chamber and is exhausted therefrom through the exhaust port 29 into the filter chamber 3|. This air which enters chamber 3| is nearly clean and carries only a very small percentage of the total dirt which enters the machine yet a part which is objectionable to the user as it is capable of creating a dust smell in any escaping air. Whatever foreign material is carried in the air as it enters chamber 3| is removed therefrom as the air passes out-' wardly through the enclosing cylindrical filter 32 into the discharge chamber 39. From chamber 39 the air passes through the'apertured motor casing 31 as described and finally exhausts through the exhaust outlet 44 from the motor hood 3. 7

As stated, the suction of the machine is eiiective within the nozzle 56 which, during operation is rotated about the motor axis under the actuation of the speed-reducing mechanism within the casing. Nozzle 56 is of substantially the same length as the width of the filter 32 and asit moves in its orbit it contacts the entire inner surface of filter 32 and removestherefrom, by virtue of theflow of'cleaning air-which is drawn from discharge chamber 39 backwardly into the nozzle; allv foreignmaterial which has collected upon the filter 32.- This foreign material in collecting upon filter 32 has become agglomerated and upon beingconveyed through conduits 51 and "59 to'the whirl chamber 2| again enters the incoming dirtladen airstream and this time ,in its passage through the whirl chamber is removed; probably because of being in an agglomerated and enlarged condition. This operation of the filter cleaning nozzle 56 is continuous and serves to maintain the back pressurein the filter chamber at' a reasonable point and. one'which does not restrict in an objectionable manner the flow of cleaning air through the machine.

In due time it will become necessary to empty the dirt container 1. This is accomplished by manually releasing the latches l2 upon the opposite sides of the main casing l of the machine. The hooks l3 are displaced from the cooperating abutments l4 carried by the container and it is then possible for the operator to lift the removable casing from the base 6 including the dirt container 1 by a lifting and separating force exerted by use of the handle 2. Once the main portion of the cleaner is removed from the container it is then possible for the operator to remove the cover plate 8, it being advisable before doing so to tilt the base structure on its side with the end wall of the container at the bottom. Cover 8 is easily displaceable and when removed it is then possible for the operator to dump the foreign material from the open-sided dirt pan in an obvious manner, The replacing of the machine in its base is the reverse operation, the cover plate 8 being first positioned and thereafter the machine inserted with the truncated cone 4 sitting within its seat 9 and the motor 3 being supported at the opposite end of the runners II. The machine is then again ready for operation.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, an initial dirt separator of the vortical whirl type and including a converging conical discharge outlet at one end and having its major axis inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal, suction-creating means connected to said separator and including fans rotatable about said axis, a final dirt separator to receive air exhausted from said suction-creating means, a driving motor including a shaft extended through said final dirt separator and carrying said fans, means driven by said motor to remove dirt from said final dirt separator and return it to said initial dirt separator, and a removable dirt container removably connected to the outlet of and positioned in nested relationship to said initial dirt separator.

2. In a suction cleaner an initial dirt separator of the vortical whirl type and includin a converging conical outlet at one end, suction-creating means connected to said separator to draw clean air from the opposite end of said separator and including fans rotatable about an axis inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal, a final dirt separator to receive air exhausted from said suction-creating means, a driving motor including a shaft extended at an acute angle to the horizontal and through said final dirt separator and carrying said fans, means driven by said motor to remove dirt from said final dirt separator and return it to said initial dirt separator, and a supporting base for the aforementioned structure including horizontally extended runners positioned thereunder, and a closed dirt container interiorly connected to and supported by the outlet of said initial separator.

3. In a suction cleaner, an initial dirt separator of the vortical whirl type and including a con- 6 verging conical dirt discharge outlet at one end and having its major axis substantially horizontal, suction-creating means connected to said separator and including fans rotatable about an axis extended at an acute angle to the horizontal, a final dirt separator to receive air exhausted from said suction-creating means and including a cylindrical filter, a driving motor including a shaft extended at an acute angle to the horizontal and passing through said cylindrical filter and carrying said fans in said fan chamber, a filtercleaning nozzle mounted for rotation about said motor shaft in contact with said filter, speedreducing means connecting said shaft to said nozzle, an air conduit connecting said nozzle to said initial separator to return collected foreign material thereto, and a dirt container removably connected to the discharge outlet of said initial dirt separator.

4. In a suction cleaner, a unitary body including a dirt separator of the vortical whirl type having only two outlets, a converging conical dirt discharge outlet for all separated dirt at one end and a clean air discharge outlet only at the opposite end, and also including suction-creating means to draw cleaned air from said clean air discharge outlet, the major axes of said separator and said suction-creating means being aligned and extending at an acute angle to the horizontal, and a closed removable dirt container interiorly connected to said dirt discharge outlet, supported on said outlet, and forming an end of said cleaner.

5. In a suction cleaner, a unitary body including a dirt separator of the vortical whirl type having two outlets only, a converging conical dirt discharge outlet for all dirt separated by said separator at one end and a clean air discharge outlet at the opposite end, and also including suction-creating means to draw cleaned air from said clean air discharge outlet, the major axes of said separator and said suction-creating means being aligned and extending at an acute angle to the horizontal to tilt said discharge outlet upwardly, a, removable dirt container-open only to said dirt discharge outlet nested under said outlet to provide dirt storage space thereunder, the tilting outlet permitting an enlarged dirt storage space, and manually operable means releasably securing said container to said outlet.

LOUIS K. ACHESON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,233,520 de Vigan Mar. 4, 1941 2,114,780 Juelson Apr. 19, 1938 1,742,671 Squires Jan. 7, 1930 2,247,472 Bible July 1, 1941 1,507,271 Bennett Sept. 2, 1924 2,323,405 Linderoth July 6, 1943 1,041,589 Caps Oct. 15, 1912 837,705 Morse Dec. 4, 1906 2,026,834 Holly "Jan, 7, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 314,513 Great Britain Apr. 24, 1930 41,106 Sweden Aug. 9, 1916 821,004 France Nov. 25, 1937 

